When the celebrated 46-year-old actor Philip Seymour Hoffman was found
dead on his bathroom floor recently with a syringe sticking out of his
left arm, it sent shock waves around the world. The actor’s popularity
was immense, and his sordid and tragic end was a shock to friends and
fans everywhere.

However, the truth is that more than 100 people die from drug overdoses
every day in the U.S. These statistics have been rocketing up for more
than a decade. And they prove that you don’t have to be rich and
famous, like Philip Seymour Hoffman, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston,
Heath Ledger or Cory Monteith, to overdose on drugs. Overdose deaths strike
Americans from all walks of life – 36,000 of them a year.

Hoffman’s demise has drawn attention to the growing threat of street
heroin. And although Hoffman’s autopsy was inconclusive, the evidence
at the scene looks pretty conclusive. Empty heroin packets were everywhere,
and more than 50 full packets were stashed in the apartment.

Although the investigation into Hoffman’s death continues, one indisputable
fact remains: heroin can kill you, it can be shockingly quick, and it
always happens when it’s least expected.

How heroin kills people

Injecting heroin creates euphoric effects sooner and more intensely than
snorting, eating or smoking it. The user feels instantly relaxed and free
from pain and anxiety.

Here’s what happens: The body converts heroin to morphine, which
is very similar to the body’s natural endorphins – the chemicals
your brain makes to reduce pain and stress. The morphine then binds to
the brain’s “opioid receptors” just as endorphins would,
reducing pain, relaxing muscles and creating euphoria. Also, breathing
becomes much slower and shallower.

However, too much of the drug at one time can cause so much relaxation
that the body literally “forgets to breathe”. Even when you’re
asleep, your body keeps breathing. But opioid overdose drives the breathing
instinct so far down that it can shut off. The result is oxygen starvation,
organ damage, brain death and finally, complete body death.

Heroin overdose can also cause sudden low blood pressure which reduces
blood flow to the brain and body. It can also cause irregular heart rhythm,
which can also reduce blood supply. And it can cause excess fluid in the
lungs – called pulmonary edema – which makes it difficult
or impossible to breathe.

Studies show that former heroin users – like Philip Seymour Hoffman
– are far more likely to overdose when they go back on heroin than
new users. This may be because they don’t realize that they can’t
tolerate the high doses they used to take when they were heavy users.

Drug overdoses kill 36,000 Americans every year – 100 every day

Hoffman’s death has prompted law enforcement officials to step up
their warnings that heroin is making a comeback because it’s so
much cheaper than “legal heroin” – painkillers like
OxyContin and oxycodone.

The Centers for Disease Control reports that 100 people die every day from
drug overdoses – more than 36,000 a year.

In 2011, 4.2 million Americans over the age of 11 had tried heroin at least
once, says the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Roughly 23% of those
risk-takers will become addicts, says NIDA.

The CDC has reported these disturbing facts:

Drug overdose death rates in the United States have more than tripled since
1990 and have never been higher.

Most overdose deaths are caused by prescription drugs. In 2008 there were
14,800 prescription painkiller deaths.

In 2010, 2 million people reported using prescription painkillers “non-medically”
for the first time – that’s nearly 5,500 people a day.

Although most overdose deaths are caused by prescription drug painkillers
like OxyContin and oxycodone, heroin overdose is a growing menace. There’s
never been a greater need for effective medical management of
opiate/opioid withdrawal.

We develop an individualized medical detox program specifically for each
of our patients, which means no recovery will look the same. Our delicious
food, nutritional IVs and supplements, and specialized detox protocols
are all designed to quicken the healing process. We understand that various
addictions present a number of issues for the human body, so we create
our IVs and diets to fit the needs of specific withdrawal symptoms.

Our process is all about you, which is why we have private and shared rooms
available for our residents. Each room is outfitted with a TV, telephone,
and access to the internet. We also provide educational classes that will
show you how the drug or alcohol of your choice affects your body. We
believe that to effectively fight off your withdrawal symptoms, it is
important to know what you are fighting against and what to be prepared for.